Method for making vegetable oil shortenings



Oct. 10, 1933. HUMPHREYS 1,929,588

METHOD OF MAKING VEGETABLE OIL SHORTENINGS Filed Feb. 19, 1951 Patented Oct. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES METHOD FOR MAKING VEGETABLE OIE SHORTENINGS Herbert Humphreys, Memphis, Tenn. Application February 19, 1931. Serial No. 516,936

3 Claims.

This invention relates toimprovements in the methods of processing oils by means of which they are converted from an oil into a semi-solid material and particularly to such improvements in those processes which are employed in converting vegetable oils into what may be designated as vegetable shortening. More definitely it relates to improvements whereby extreme whiteness may be obtained without interfering with subsequent steps in the handling of the materials.

As an example in the manufacture, of shortening, or vegetable lard, from cotton seed oil, crude oil is refined by heating in the presence of chemicals, to separate out undesirable portions in a thin sheet from the roll, mixed with air by.

beating, and forced through pipes to valve. controlled nozzles through which it" is released into containers for shipping. I

My invention relates particularly to improvements in those steps subsequent to the feeding of the oilto the refrigerating roll. I

Whiteness of the product depends largely on how cold the product is at the time air is-beaten into it, but the lowness of .the temperature is limited by the fact, that subsequent handling may be made difflcult on account of the consequent hardness, and even more important, that the structure and'hardness of the packaged material may be made objectionable to the user.

The object of the present invention is to provide in such a process the [step by which chilling is allowed to be carried to any desired degree and theair mixed in which such chilled material and thereafter the temperature of the material is raised prior to packaging. whereby a very white product is obtained, without the necessity of packaging at a low temperature, or delivery for use at such obje'ctionably low temperature and hardness.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment, will readily be understood from the following specification on reference to the accompanying drawing.

-12 enters the roll.

The drawing is a diagrammatic elevation, showing the chilling roll and related parts.

Referring now to the drawing in which the parts are referred to by numerals, 10 is a hollow roll exteriorly smooth andhaving its axis horizontal, which is slowly rotated in the direction of the arrow 11. This roll is chilled preferably by the expansion in usual manner of compressed ammonia gas introduced thereinto through the pipe l2. 13 is a stufling box through which pipe 14 is the oil line through which the bleached and otherwise treated oil is led along the roll and delivered to a trough 15 disposed along and against the roll, the back of the trough being open and closely fittingagainst the roll to hold the oil in the trough directly in contact with the roll. 16 ,is a scraper or knife carried. by the trough 15, the lower edge of which scraper presses against the roll to remove congealed oil 'in which a similar beater is disposed. In the picker pan the product is traversed in the opposite direction and into proximity to the suction pipe 21 of a pump 22 by which it is forced through a pipe line 23-24 which line terminates in twin pipes 25 each carrying a nozzle 26 through which the product passes into the containers 2'7. The pipes 25 are-controlledby cut off valves 28, which are interconnected, the passageways in the valves being so disposed that opening one valve closing the other and vice versa. A

Leading from the section 24 of the pipe line, is a by-pass'line 29 which is-controlled by a valve 30. This line discharges into the picker pan 20 adjacent the discharge from the beater 17.

Intermediate the sections 2324 of the discharge line I interpose a heater, which comprises a pipe 31 forming part of the discharge line, but preferably somewhat larger in diameter than such line to give greater heating surface and at the same time reduce the ispeed of flow therethrough. This section of the discharge line is enclosed in. a larger pipe 32 having closed ends sealed to the pipe 31 to form an annular chamber which is heated by steam preferably-in the presence of water. Steam is supplied to the cham- I ber by a pipe 33 controlled by a valve 34. 35 is a water pipe similarly controlled by valve 36 leading into the steam line, or directly to the heater chamber. 37 is a valve controlled outlet pipe from the heater chamber.

Leading into the suction pipe 21 between the picker pan and the pump, is an air pipe 38controlled by a pet cook 30.

In carrying out the process the treated oil is delivered through the oil line 14 into the trough 15 by which it is brought into contact with the smooth exterior surface of the roll 10, the oil in such case ordinarily being at a temperature of around 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

The roll 10 is slowly revolved about its horizontal axis so that its surface moves upward away from the trough 15 and is internally chilled as by the expansion therewithin of a gas, ordinarily ammonia, as by the introduction of chilled brine, and is brought to a temperature of about zero Fahrenheit. The chilled surface of a roll collects and carries upward with it a coating of oil, which is reduced in temperature by contact therewith, and is carried around thereby until it meets the stripping knife 16 by which it is removed in a sheet or plurality of sheets, the removed material at such time having a temperature of around 30 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

These chilled sheets descend into the trough 17 in which they are broken up and beaten by the beater blades and at the same time traversed away from the pump. During this beating air is entrained and mixed into the mass imparting thereto and fixing therein a much desired whiteness. This mass is discharged into the picker pan and there again beaten and traversed to the pump by which it is carried up and through the heater 32, and part of this heated mass carried through the by-pass line 29 back to the picker pan where it is incorporated with the colder material therein and again pumped through the heater. The speed of pumping is ordinarily established at about twice the rate of discharge through the filling nozzles so that approximately one-half the material is by-passed and one-half passed to the filling nozzles. In this cycle of operation the heater is maintained at a temperature which will give a final discharge temperature of the product of about 56 degrees.

During the operation the pet cook 39 is regulated to permit a limited flow of air into the suction' pipe 21.

The heater is filled with water through the pipe 35, the valve closed and steam turned in through the steam line 33. Regulation is effected through control of the steam valve 34 and the valve on the .outlet pipe 37.

By chilling the material to a low temperature, and initially beating into a mass at such temperature a structureand extremely white color is established which is not thereafter destroyed by heating and remixing at higher temperature. I am therefore enabled to mix a semi solid mass and heat to a semi-fluid mass, and am thereby enabled to satisfactorily package the product under proper conditions, and have it congeal in the package to the proper consistency,

It will of course be understood that the means by which heat is applied and the various details of the structure introduced are illustrative only and may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention. It will further be understood that temperatures may be varied within considerable limits depending largely on the nature of the oil or other oleaginous material to be treated without departing from my invention.

It will also be understood that the entire mixing and beating operation may be performed, prior to heating should materials treated so permit, or heating may be done during the mixing operations.

Having described my claim is:

1. The method of preparing oleaginous materials for packaging, which comprises chilling the material to congealing temperature; intermixing air therewith; raising the temperature of the mass by incorporating therewith a predetermined proportion of heated similar material; further heating the mixture to packaging tem perature; diverting a predetermined proportion of the final product for use in said temperature raising operation, and delivering the remainder for packaging.

2. The method of preparing oleaginous materials for packaging, which comprises congealing the material and aerating it while congealed; raising its temperature, and further aerating it, by incorporating therewith a predetermined proportion of similar material which has been heated and aerated; heating the mixture to packaging temperature; diverting a predetermined proportion of the final product for use in said combined temperature raising and aerating operation, and delivering the remainder for packaging.

3. The method of preparing oleaginous materials for packaging, which comprises chilling the material to below packaging temperature and aerating it while congealed; raising its temperainvention, what I ture, and further aerating it, by incorporating therewith substantially the same quantity of similar material which has been heated and aerated; delivering the mixture to a heater at substantially double the packaging rate; diverting substantially one-half of the final product for use in said combined temperature-raising and aerating operation; and delivering the remainder for packaging.

HERBERT HUMPHREYS.

Ill) 

